Donaldson: Is the U.S. soccer team’s win over Ghana worth celebrating?

It’s not as if the U.S. soccer team shouldn’t be expected to beat Ghana, a much smaller, poorer, African nation that doesn’t have thousands of soccer moms driving their kids to practice in the youth leagues that have become so popular all across Amer

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By
Jim Donaldson
Posted Jun. 17, 2014 @ 8:40 am

It’s not as if the U.S. soccer team shouldn’t be expected to beat Ghana, a much smaller, poorer, African nation that doesn’t have thousands of soccer moms driving their kids to practice in the youth leagues that have become so popular all across America.

With all those kids playing, for what has been a lot of years now, shouldn’t the U.S. have developed enough world-class talent to handle Ghana?

Which, by the way, finished fourth last year in the Africa Cup of Nations, losing a shootout in the semis to Burkina Faso — the former Upper Volta, if that helps the geographically-challenged — and then dropping the consolation game, for third place, to Mali.

So I would say that, yes, the U.S. should beat Ghana.

But the fact is that, until Monday’s 2-1 thriller in Natal, on the northeast coast of Brazil, Ghana had been America’s nemesis in the World Cup.

The U.S. lost to Ghana in group play in 2006, and then again in the first match of the knockout stage in 2010.

So, even though the U.S. was ranked 13th going into Monday’s match, while Ghana was 37th, there seemed no question that it was going to be a tough game for the Americans.

Although, when World Cup veteran Clint Dempsey scored in the opening minute, there was reason to think it might be a surprisingly easy win for the U.S.

It wasn’t.

For much of the rest of the game, Ghana controlled the ball and the action, finally netting the equalizer in the 82nd minute.

At that point, many U.S. supporters likely were hoping their team could escape with a draw.

Instead, the Americans got a very important win when John Brooks, who’d come off the bench in the second half, headed in what proved to be the game-winner in the 86th minute off a corner kick.

Victory!

Euphoria!

Or, if not exactly that, then large amounts of joy.

Because the match with Ghana had loomed as a “must-win” for the U.S., which still has to face Portugal, ranked No. 4 in the world, and No. 2 Germany in what is being called “the group of death.”

But now there is increased hope for an upset — or, at least, a tie — against Portugal, which was routed Monday by Germany, 4-0.

Not only do the Portuguese have injury issues — defender Fabio Coentrao went down with a thigh injury and all-world striker Renaldo has a gimpy knee — but they also lost another defender for the American match, Pepe, who was given a red card after foolishly head-butting Germany’s Thomas Muller, who scored three goals in the match.

The U.S. has injury problems of its own — star striker Jozy Altidore strained a hamstring muscle in the first half — but that pales in comparison to the problems the Americans would have had in advancing to the knockout stage had they been K.O.’d by Ghana.

So, is the U.S. soccer team’s win over Ghana worth celebrating?

Most definitely.

Especially the way it came about.

And a win — or, perhaps, even a tie — against Portugal on Sunday would be even bigger.